Condenser system and vacuum-pump



1. F. GRACE.

CONDENSER SYSTEM AND VACUUM PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1919- v Patented May 18, 1920.

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J. F. GRACE.

CONDENSER SYSTEM AND VACUUM PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY26. 1919. 18, 2 SHEETS-SHEET?.

UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. GRACE, OF KEARNEY, NEW' ASSIGNOR T0 WGRTI-IINGTON PUMP ANDMACHINERY CORPORATION 1. CRPRTION 0F VIRGINIA.

CONDENSER ANB VCUUlVl-PIVIP.

Application `filed May 26, 1919.

To @ZZ fia/7mm t may can cern Be it imown that I, JOHN F. GRACE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Kearney, county of Hudson, andState of N ew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Condenser Systems and Vacuum-Pumps, fully described and representedin the` following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming apart of the same.

This invention relates to vacuum pumping apparatus, and particularly toa system for discharging the air and uncondensed vapor from steamcondensers and maintaining a high condenser vacuum.

The special object of the invention is to provide a vacuum pumpingapparatus by which a high vacuum may be maintained in either surface orjet condensers with a low and compact construction, so that the totalheight of the condensing system and the horizontal space occupied by thevacuum apparatus may be reduced, while at the same time employing asimple, efficient and economical pumping apparatus.

For a full understanding of the invention, a detailed description of jetand surface condensing systems embodying the invention in the preferredform will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specifica` tion, and the features forming theinvention then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a jet condensingsystem, the condenser and air pump being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fi 2;

lig. 4 shows in elevation a surface condensing system with the pump ofFig. 1 delivering air and water of condensation, and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation looking to the right in Fig. 4.

.eferring to the drawings, and now especially to Figs. 1 to 3, A is ajet condenser of a well-known type; B the exhaust inlet; C the injectionwater inlet delivering to chamber c, from which the water is sprayedthrough nozzles Z into the condensing nozzle e; D the tail pump for thecondenser discharge, shown as a well-known central suction dischargepump, similar to that of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Serial No. 299,820.

United States Letters Patent to Alberger & Sault, No. 318225, May 19,1885, this pump being direct-acting and driven by a steam cylinder E.

T he air and uncondensed vapor is withdrawn from the space about theupper portion of the condensing nozzle e through pi e F and delivered bythe vacuum pump (R1, which pump in itself forms a part of the presentinvention, and the air and uncondensed vapor, with the cold watersupplied to the pump, are delivered through the discharge pipe H.

The pump cylinder 10 has piston 11 carried by the plunger rod 12 of pumpD, so as to be direct-acting and operated by steam cylinder E, andcylinder 10 is provided in its upper central portion with a, series ofports 13 connected through chamber 14 with pipe F, and in its lowercentral portion with a series of ports 15 connecting with suctionchamber 1G, which is connected by pipe 17 with injection water chamberc, water being thus supplied to cylinder 10 for sealing and alsolubricating and air cooling. Suction chamber 16 is provided with a trapfor the water, shown as formed by weir 18 and shield 19, so that airwill not be drawn through the pipe 17 and the water will pass tocylinder 10 only in accordance with the adjusted overflow of weir 18.The ports 13, 15 are uncovered by piston 11 in its eXtreme suctionposition and closed by the piston immediately upon reversal, the pumpthus being a single-acting suction valveless pump, so far as the suctionis concerned. The pis ton 11 also is preferably sealed and lubricated bya sealing groove 1 which, at the end of the l'irst stage dischargestroke, receives water from the chamber 16 through small port 2, theliquid sealing of the piston between the suction. end and the deliveryend thus being secured.

The a'ir and water admitted through the ports 13, 15 at the end of thesuction stroke are discharged from the suction end of the cylinder 10 onthe return stroke and transferred through light valves 3 and transferpassage 2O to the opposite or delivery end of the cylinder, from whichdelivery end the air and water are delivered to discharge pipe H throughdischarge valves 4 on the next stroke of the piston.

The air is preferably transferred without substantial compression from'one end of lli) the pump to the other, the action preferably being thesame as fully described in United States Letters Patent to Riesner, No.1196742, Aug. 29, 1916. The valves 3, il may be of any suitable type,those in the transfer passage preferably being such as to affordsubstantially no resistance to the passage of the fluid, and all thevalves are shown as automatic valves such as fully described in UnitedStates Letters Patent to Meyer, Reissue No. 13991, October 12, 1915. 1twill be understood, however, that these valves may be of any othersuitable type, and either automatic or mechanically actuated. lt will beunderstood, also, that the air may be initially compressed to any amountdesired in the first stage within the broader features of the invention.

The suction end of cylinder 10 is preferably provided with means :foradmitting a small amount of cold water after the air and water havingbeen discharged through the transfer passage 20, so as to avoidobjectionable ree faporation during the return or lsuction stroke of thepiston. The means shown is a spring pressed spray valve 5 having itsstem 6 projecting into the cylinder so as to be engaged by piston 11 asit approaches the end of its outward stroke, thus opening the cylinderfor a spray from cold y"ater chamber T supplied with water underpressure by the pipe S.

The pump shown in Figs. el and 5 is the saine in construction andoperation as that of Figs. 1 to 3, but applied to a surface condenserand acting to deliver both the air and uncondensed vapor' and the waterof condensation. In this construction, K is a surface condenser havingthe steam inlet L and in which the condensing water is circulated by thecirculating pump M, which is a direct-acting pump with its plunger onthe same rod as the piston of pump G, so that the two pumps are operatedtogether by the steam engine E The air and uncondensed vapor are takenfrom the condenser or its usual internal air cooler through pipe Ncommunicating with suction chamber 14 and air Yports 13 of pump G, andthe water of condensation is taken from condenser hot well 'O throughpipe P connecting Vwith chamber 16 and ports 15 of pump Gr, the sametrap being employed in chamber 16 as shown in Fig. 1, so that air willnot be drawn over into the liquid ports, but the air and uncondensedvapors must be drawn through the air cooler' and pipe N.

It will be seen that the dry suction and the wet suction of the surfacecondenser are thus kept separated until the air and con densate haveentered the cylinder 10 simultaneously through the upper and lower ports13, 15, and they are then trapped in the cylinder immediately by thereturn of the piston on reversal, before the warm condensate has time tosubstantially increase the vapor pressure.

t will be seen also that, in both the constructions shown, the pumpingapparatus will have an even movement, notwithstanding the fact thatcompression in the vacuum pump may be only in one direction on eachrevolution, because of the connected discharge pump or circulating pumpin which the amount of power required by the water cylinder on eachstroke will steady the action of the unit. lt is thus entirelypracticable to secure a steady movement of this vacuum pump with adirect-acting engine. lt will be understood, however, that this vacuumpump may be used otherwise than direct driven, and that the claims onthe pump itself are not to be limited to the character of the drive,although the preferred construction is single, horizontal, direct-acting, combined with the condenser circulating pump or tail pump.

This vacuum pump will maintain a very high vacuum with great economy,and it will be seen that the combined unit provides a condensingapparatus occupying much less space vertically and horizontally than theusual jet condenser with centrifugal discharge pump and hydraulic vacuumpump, and is much smaller and more desirable than the usual combinationof surface condenser with circulating pump and hot well pump ofcentrifugal type, and reduces largely the vertical space as comparedwith a hot well pump of centrifugal type, and still more as comparedwith the well known hydraulic vacuum pump unit.

lhat is claimed is:

1. In a condensing system of that class in which the air and uncondensed'vapor are drawn off separately from the water` the combination with thecondenser, of a horizontal pump having a central val'v'cle'ss air inletin the upper part of the cylinder connected with the air discharge ofthe condenser, a central valveless water inlet in the lower part of thecylinder 'connected with a water supply, a piston vadapted to uncoverthe inlet ports on its movement in -one direction and to close the portson its vstroke in the opposite direction, a discharge y'outlet at theother end of the cylinder, Vand a transfer passage and valve mechanismfor transferring fluid from the inlet end of the cylinder to thedischarge e'nd.

2. In a condensing system of that class in which the air and uncondensedvapor are drawn off separately from the water, the combination with thecondenser, of a horizontal pump having a central valveless air inlet inthe upper part of the cylinder vconnected with the air discharge of thecondenser, a central valv'eless water inlet in the lower part 'of vthecylinder connected with a fater supply receiving water from the coni soiso

denser and water sealed to prevent withdrawal of `air or vapor from thecondenser through the water ports, a piston adapted to uncover the inletports on its movement in one direction and to close the ports on itsstroke in the opposite direction, a discharge outlet at the other end ofthe cylinder, and a transfer passage and valve mechanism fortransferring fluid from the inlet end of the cylinder to the dischargeend.

3. In a condensing system of that class in which the air and uncondensedvapor are drawn off separately from the water, the combination with thecondenser, of a horizontal pump having a central valveless air inlet inthe upper part of the cylinder connected with the air discharge of thecondenser, a central valveless water inlet in the lower part of thecylinder connected with a water supply, a piston adapted to uncover theinlet ports on its movement in one direction and to close the ports onits stroke in the opposite direction, a discharge outlet at the otherend of the cylinder, a transfer passage and valve mechanism fortransferring fluid from the inlet end of the cylinder to the dischargeend, a make-up water supply connected to the inlet end of the cylinder,and a. piston-actuated valve controlling the inlet of make-up water tothe cylinder.

d. In a condensing system of that class in which the air and uncondensedvapor are drawn oil' separately from the water, the combination with thecondenser, of a horizontal pump having a central valveless air inlet inthe upper part of the cylinder connected with the air discharge of thecondenser, a central valveless water inlet in the lower part of thecylinder connected with a water supply, a piston adapted to uncover theinlet ports on its movement in one direction and to close the ports onits stroke in the opposite direction, a discharge outlet at the otherend of the cylinder, a transfer passage and valve mechanism fortransferring fluid from the inlet end of the cylinder to the dischargeend, a sealing chamber around the discharge end of the piston, and aport connecting said chamber to the water supply at the end of thetransfer stroke.

5. In a condensing system of that class in which the air and uncondensedvapor are drawn ofi' separately from the water, the combination with thecondenser', of a horizontal pump having a central valveless air inlet inthe upper part of the cylinder counected with the air discharge of thecondenser, a central valveless water inlet in the lower part of thecylinder connected with a water supply, a piston adapted to uncover theinlet ports on its movement in one direction and to close the ports onits stroke in the opposite direction, a discharge outlet at the otherend of the cylinder, a transfer passage and valve mechanism fortransferring fluid from the inlet end of the cylinder Vto the dischargeend, a water pump on the condenser having its piston connected to thevacuum pump piston, and a direct-acting steam engine operating the waterpump and vacuum pump pistons.

(i. In a surface condensing system of that class in which the air anduncondensed vapor are drawn off separately from the water ofcondensation, the combination with the condenser, of a horizontal pumphaving a central valveless air inlet in the upper part of the cylinderconnected with the air discharge of the condenser, a central valvelessinlet in the lower part of the cylinder connected to the water ofcondensation discharge and trapped to prevent withdrawal of air or vaporfrom the condenser with the water of condensation, a piston adapted touncover said ports on its movement in one direction and to close theports on its stroke in the opposite direction, a discharge outlet at theother end of the cylinder, and a transfer passage and valve mechanismfor transferring the fluid from the inlet end of the cylinder to thedischarge end.

7. In a surface condensing system of that class in which the air anduncondensed vapor are drawn off separately from the water ofcondensation, the combination with the condenser, of a horizontal pumphaving a central valveless air inlet in the upper part of the cylinderconnected with the air discharge of the condenser, a central valvelessinlet in the lower part of the cylinder connected to the water ofcondenser discharge and trapped to prevent withdrawal of air or vaporfrom the condensation with the water of condensation, a piston adaptedto uncover said ports on its movement in one direction and to close theports on its stroke in the opposite direction, a discharge outlet at theother end of the cylinder, a transfer passage and valve mechanism fortransferring the fluid from the inlet end of the cylinder to thedischarge end, a water circulating pump for the condenser, and adirect-acting steam engine having its piston connected to the pistons ofthe circulating pump and vacuum pump.

8. In a condensing system, the combination with the condenser, of a pumphaving its cylinder provided with a valveless air and water inlet, apiston adapted to uncover said inlet on its movement in one directionand close the inlet on its stroke in the opposite direction, whereby oneend of the cylinder forms the inlet end, a valved discharge at theopposite end of the cylinder, and a transfer passage connecting theinlet end of the cylinder with the discharge end.

9. A vacuum pump having a vcentral valveless air inlet, a centralvalveless Water inlet, a piston opening the inlet ports on its movementin one direction whereby one end of the cylinder forms the inlet end, a`valved discharge at the opposite end of the cylinder, and a transferpassage connecting said inlet end and discharge end.

10. A horizontal Vacuum pump having a central valveless air inlet, acentral valveless water inlet, a piston opening the inlet ports on itsmovement in one direction whereby one end o1 the cylinder forms theinlet end, a valved discharge at the opposite end of the cylinder, atransfer passage and Valve mechanism connecting said inlet end anddischarge end, and an inlet water chamber connected with said liquidinlet ports and provided with means for trapping the water to seal theports against admission of air.

11. A horizontal Vacuum pump having a central valveless Vair inlet inthe upper part of the cylinder, a Valveless water inlet in the lowerpart of the cylinder, a piston opening the inlet ports on its movementin one direction whereby one end of the cylinder forms the inlet end, adischarge at the opposite end of the cylinder, a transiter pas-` sageand Valve mechanism connecting said inlet end and discharge end, aninlet water chamberat the top of the pump connected with said liquidports and provided with means for trapping the water to seal the portsagainst admission of air, a sealing chamber around the discharge end ofthe piston, and a port connecting said water chamber with the pistonsealing chamber at the end of the transfer stroke of the piston.

ln testimony whereof, l hare hereunto set my hand.

JOHN r. GRACE.

